Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. I. Early Poetry: Chaucer to Donne
Richard Barnfield (1574–1627)Sonnet from Cynthia: ‘Beauty and Majesty are fallen at odds’
B
Th’ one claims his cheek, the other claims his chin;
Then Virtue comes and puts her title in:
Quoth she, I make him like th’ immortal Gods.
Quoth Majesty, I own his looks, his brow;
His lips, quoth Love, his eyes, his fair is mine;
And yet, quoth Majesty, he is not thine,
I mix disdain with Love’s congealed snow.
Ay, but, quoth Love, his locks are mine by right.
His stately gait is mine, quoth Majesty;
And mine, quoth Virtue, is his Modesty.
Thus as they strive about the heavenly wight
At last the other two to Virtue yield
The lists of Love, fought in fair Beauty’s field.